Rose, o pure contradiction, o desire
 to be no one's sleep, under so many
 eyelids.
             --Rilke

In Big Basin yesterday, among the eternal redwoods, overtaken by heavy rain while walking down a twelve mile path to waterfalls and the sea. Sheltered for a few minutes under a fallen tree, hoping that the water would stop. Gave it up and returned to the car, soaked nonetheless. After showering and changing I felt drained of every material substance, pure form, pure desire, pure contradiction.